Attilio Guarracino
Encyclopedia
Attilio Guarracino is an Italo
-Australia
n migrant who is known for his act of heroism which saved several people during a storm in 1952.
. In 1948 he was befriended by the American
poet Chester Kallman
. He later also became a friend of the Australian artist Jeffrey Smart
and, soon after, of Donald Friend
(1950) becoming his model and lover. In 1950 he went to London with Friend, who referred to him as his son many times in his diaries in the later years. In 1951 he agreed to accompany Friend to Australia and soon after became an Australian citizen. He briefly lived with Donald Friend at Hill End, New South Wales, where they built a studio that has become a national trust. They come to Melbourne
for a holiday after six months, where Donald painted a mural called 'The Fountain of Youth' for David Wynn. They went back to Hill End and stayed for a considerable time. In 1953 he moved in Melbourne but after nearly a year he went back to Hill End to poison prickly pear
s, a hard and lonely job. After another year he moved to Melbourne where he was employed variously by the PMG, the Howard Florey Institute
, as a professional fisherman, and on the land as an animal technician for 27 years before working as Friend's agent in Australia between 1968 and 1976.
In 1952 he saved three people from drowning on Port Phillip Bay during a wild winter storm. He made front page news for his act of bravery, and was chosen by the Italian government as migrant of the year. This earned him a free return trip back to Italy and a meeting with the Pope. He was also given a gold medal of honour and was made a knight; he was the youngest Italian to be made a knight.
His portraits may be found in the Art Gallery of New South Wales
, South Australian Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria
, amongst others.
He is married to Ailsa, has 4 children from his first marriage, and lives in Melbourne.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
-Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n migrant who is known for his act of heroism which saved several people during a storm in 1952.
Biography
Guarracino's early life was one of poverty and small time criminality on the island of Ischia, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1948 he was befriended by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet Chester Kallman
Chester Kallman
Chester Simon Kallman was an American poet, librettist, and translator, best known for his collaborations with W. H. Auden and Igor Stravinsky.-Life:...
. He later also became a friend of the Australian artist Jeffrey Smart
Jeffrey Smart
Jeffrey Smart , is an expatriate Australian painter, who is known for his modernist depictions of urban landscapes.His first goal was to become an architect; however, he went on to become an art teacher after studying at Adelaide Teacher's College and the South Australian School of Art and Crafts...
and, soon after, of Donald Friend
Donald Friend
Donald Stuart Leslie Friend was an Australian artist, writer and diarist.- Early life :Born in Sydney, precociously talented both as an artist and a writer, Friend grew up in the artistic circle of his bohemian mother...
(1950) becoming his model and lover. In 1950 he went to London with Friend, who referred to him as his son many times in his diaries in the later years. In 1951 he agreed to accompany Friend to Australia and soon after became an Australian citizen. He briefly lived with Donald Friend at Hill End, New South Wales, where they built a studio that has become a national trust. They come to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
for a holiday after six months, where Donald painted a mural called 'The Fountain of Youth' for David Wynn. They went back to Hill End and stayed for a considerable time. In 1953 he moved in Melbourne but after nearly a year he went back to Hill End to poison prickly pear
Opuntia
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
s, a hard and lonely job. After another year he moved to Melbourne where he was employed variously by the PMG, the Howard Florey Institute
Howard Florey Institute
The Howard Florey Institute, previously known as the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiologyand applied research into treatments to combat brain and mind disorders and the cardiovascular system...
, as a professional fisherman, and on the land as an animal technician for 27 years before working as Friend's agent in Australia between 1968 and 1976.
In 1952 he saved three people from drowning on Port Phillip Bay during a wild winter storm. He made front page news for his act of bravery, and was chosen by the Italian government as migrant of the year. This earned him a free return trip back to Italy and a meeting with the Pope. He was also given a gold medal of honour and was made a knight; he was the youngest Italian to be made a knight.
His portraits may be found in the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
, South Australian Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
, amongst others.
He is married to Ailsa, has 4 children from his first marriage, and lives in Melbourne.
Sources
- The diaries of Donald Friend, Vols. 2 & 3, edited by Anne Gray. National Library of Australia, CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, 2001–2003 - Not quite straight: a memoir by Jeffrey Smart., Port Melbourne, William Heinemann Australia, 1996.